Posts Tagged ‘hajj for kids’

Ok, ok! I know I said I was trying to move away from giving lollies in these things, but come on, the cookie monster is 3!! THREE I tell you, and what doesn’t excite a 3 year old more than lollies? I know it’s not the greatest for their teeth or their tummies, but he barely has any sweet things at all. Have I pleaded my case yet?

Also, this post is late, *hangs head in shame*, what’s a mum to do? There’s still time to make this though, or just save this idea for next year.

I wanted this calendar to be fun for him, and I’m doing that in a few ways. Last year I did this as a poster with lollies and activities in the pockets, this year I’m doing that as part of a Hajj/Eid table (post coming soon) as well as this lolly countdown calendar. It’s pretty simple, all you need is a 12 whole muffin pan, craft or gift wrapping paper, tape and some lollies/candy to fill them with. You don’t have to follow my lead and go with a lolly filled one like I have, you could fill it with whatever you like.

I filled each cup, then covered with gift wrap and taped down the edges. If you’re concerned about insects or anything else, then wrap each one individually. With a marker, I numbered each covered section. I had to skip #10, the day of Eid al Adha, it got squished in between the rows. There’s just no other way to make the calendar work, unless there’s a 13 whole muffin pan out there, plus I’m sure there’ll be plenty of treats on Eid day anyway.

There’s only a few days left before Dhul Hijjah rolls around and I’ve been feeling a bit uninspired to create something for this years activities with the cookie monster. So I took to the internet to get some much needed inspiration and thought why not share my findings with you. Here are my 29+ ideas for Hajj at home WITH kids.

Hajj Crafts and activities:Let’s kick this post off with some Hajj craft and activity ideas.

3. These Hajj day by day printables from Islamic Bulletin Board are great, just print them off and you have an easy, simple way to explain Hajj to the kids. Check out their site for other great Islamic printables.

5. They also have this lego Hajj Diorama. Definitely something to think about including this year, especially since the cookie monster is into Lego building at the moment (we’re still on the Duplos). I just wonder if he has enough black blocks.

8. If you’re busy, like we all are, why not purchase something. Most of the hard work is done for you in this Hajj kit from Hafsa Creates. It’s been created with the intention of teaching children about Hajj, it comes marked and labelled so all you have to do is assemble.

10. Create an advent calendar, like this Hajj Advent Calendar, from yours truly. It’s a good way to get the really little ones excited about Hajj, even when they don’t understand much (I did this with the cookie monster when he was just over 2.5 years old).

11. We made footprints as an activity in our calendar. Yes, I know it seems a little odd as a Hajj craft, but you can read about why and how it relates in my last post.

12. Get your friends or family together and have a mock Hajj like Confessions of a Muslim Mommaholic. Letting kids experience things for themselves is a great way to get them involved and learning.

15. The story of the elephant – Pop up book by Shade 7 Limited
This is a great book for children to learn about some of the history of the Kabah.
Some additional information from the author.

The Story of The Elephant, Surah Al-Feel Pop-up & Play Book has a direct relation to Hajj in the story as it is the answering of Ibrahim (AS’s) dua that keeps the Kaba with us today. The story at the end also refers to Umrah and Hajj to teach children that millions of Muslims go there for pilgrimage every year

That pop up Kabah in the book is just delightful.

16. Noor Kids go to Hajj
This book discusses some key aspects of Hajj, through an enjoyable comic like story. It includes scientific concepts, terms, questions to ask kids and much more.

17. Going to Mecca by Naima B RobertsI don’t have a copy nor have I read this book myself, but it seems like a great book to give children an insight into the pilgrimage.

18. There’s also this one called The Kabah by Shaida Gutta. It is such a cute book, I’ll have to get my hands on a copy.

20. This is a really great video about the 5 Pillars and Hajj. This was played constantly last Ramadan (2013) and my son loved it. It’s also really informative and a great one to share with non muslims.

21. For older kids or even adults this is a great video explanation from National Geographic. Video here.

Hajj/Eid Decorations:
A big part of celebrating and making things special for your kids is the decorations, have a look at some of these.

22. How about making a sheep pinata for an Eid party. Or even just for the kids on Eid day. I’m sure that would bring big smiles to their faces (especially if it’s filled with loads of lollies).

25. In keeping with the black and gold theme, here’s more decoration ideas for a Hajj/Eid party from Time to Partay. I just love the Kabah favour boxes. It’s always nice to give a little something to your guests when they leave.

29. You can make Eid chocolates, candy or anything you can put in a Mold with these, from Eid Molds. My friend Salam Mama and Life of a Mompreneur turned me onto them. I’ll have to remember to purchase some for next year.

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